AIs are influencing how resources reach the people who need them most. Christians need ways to design, audit, & remake them.

I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need. 2 Corinthians 8:13–14

When St. Paul appeals for funds to support the Jerusalem church, he describes flows of resources across cultural divides, emphasizing generosity and fairness alike. Early Christians experimented widely with their use of resources, established accountability for discrimination, and developed institutional protections for fairness (Acts 6:1–16).

In our time, AI forecasting systems are speeding up transactions and deciding who is eligible for loans. Logistics AIs are transforming how resources reach the people who need them most. Yet these AIs mostly lack an understanding of fairness and have limited accountability for their mistakes.

AIs can easily learn to make unjust decisions and reinforce inequalities

As AIs categorize which people receive financial services or aid, we also need to ensure that their decisions are fair. AIs can easily learn to make unjust decisions and reinforce inequalities. Computer scientists have recently begun seeking ways to audit AI decisions and govern their actions. For example, the Christian data scientist Peng Shi has pioneered systems that can be adjusted by city councils with input from people affected by machine decisions. Yet organizations that run AI systems also tend to centralize power. Christians will need wisdom for designing, critiquing, governing, and resisting as our material opportunities become shaped by AI decisions, and as we rely on AIs to guide our service to others.

How much of our prayers and generosity are shaped by news and social media trends?

What priorities might Christians offer to an AI that decides how to allocate resources?

How might AI help churches & charities predict and respond to emerging needs?

What ideas of fairness might Christian thought bring to the governance of AI systems?